Football makes heroes of people who work tirelessly

Everyone wants to win. We are all in it to win and when one wins the other has to lose. Elections are a platform where the spoils cannot be shared unless it is done by rotation. But, that normally happens in politics.

A sport is supposed to be away from politics and that is the time it is beautiful.

Football is the sport much followed in Goa and the State sport appears to be sailing on a boat riddled with uncertainty. The doubt has surfaced after the GFA decided to follow a circular sent by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to all its Member Associations (MA) on May 17, 2018.

I t is not clear what that circular states but the AIFF circular dated June 18 states:

A: “The AIFF would like to clarify, that while it is true that the amendments referred to in the May circular are fundamentally important, the same should not be perceived or construed as a hindrance by any MA to halt or delay the conduct of its elections as per schedule, in accordance with the time frame provided in the MA’s own constitution and as per relevant applicable statutes.”

B: “Post the scheduled election as may be due from time to time, the concerned incoming office bearers of the MA will be equally responsible for continuing/finishing the amendment process as mentioned in the May Circular.”

C: “It is therefore reiterated and clarified that amendment of the constitution of MAs as per the directive of the may circular is a binding responsibility placed by AIFF upon each of its MAs and that the process of making such amendments from time to time is a continuing one where the said process, if so required, is to be carried forward by each subsequently elected body of each member association of AIFF.”

GFA elections are held on the last or second last Sunday of July. The AIFF Circular sent to all MAs was dated May 18 and it is queer that the GFA took so long to decide that the AIFF Circular needed to be sent for legal opinion.

The GFA Executive committee was called to meet on June 22 to discuss the legal opinion and the opinion was read out to the members. It took around fifteen minutes to read the opinion but I wonder whether it would have not been more apt to distribute a copy of the same to all. At least, that would have been a professional approach.

There are two main contestants for the post of president and now, in the manner the GFA is conducting the business, there appears to be a third.

Churchill Alemao was the first to declare his election and he was subsequently followed by Avertano Furtado. Both are former Ministers and both have crossed each other paths on the football field as members of one team in the past.

Between the two, Churchill has bigger support base and that is why many perceive GFA’s attempt to bring in the amendments to the constitution as an attempt to stop Churchill climb to the altar of football.

The National Sports Code does not permit an individual who has crossed the age of seventy to stand for election. Churchill is 69 and if GFA delays the elections, he would not be able to contest and that is the best way to cull a winner.

This is politics. The ugly face of politics in sports. It is for the GFA members – who have the right to vote– to decide whether they want to vote for a man for a few months or not. That is the voters choice ;a choice that cannot be denied by delaying elections.

The GFA has become an institution for individuals who need to be seen in society today. If you are nobody and nowhere, try to be somebody through GFA. If you cannot, do not allows others. And if the game is not developing, blame others.

The GFA has through these four years turned to be a blame body. Football cannot and will not develop through people who are in football to make a name for them. Football is a game for players. It makes heroes of people who work tirelessly to excel and not people who want to be noticed by taking pole position before the ball.